Now that the car is running it's time to move onto the other things that need attention and the other problems that have showed up. *Does anybody have a picture they can post of the parts inside a horn button for a '26? I have the bracket on the steering column and a black plastic button but I'm not sure what else is supposed to be there. *My fuel tank looks like new on the inside with the tin coating still there. When I put in a few gallons today to fire up the engine it started to leak on the bottom where outlet is attached. Can this be soldered? Any suggestions? *How long should I go before my first oil change after the rebuild?

All that is in the horn button bracket is the disc with brass contact, that the two wires are held with screws in the terminals. A single bolt and nut secures the button and disc terminal by sandwich action in the bracket.

You can get new reproduction complete switch.

Shown are parts of reproduction and original.

As for the cowl gas tank, haul it to a good radiator shop, most will clean and repair a gas tank for you. Would be an easy fix.

Mine needed some of my own repair, the shop cleaned it, and then tested, and when almost full there was a weeping of fluid from that bracket, but mine was due to a pin hole or pin holes in the internal drain tube that runs thru the tank.

So I got gas tank sealer, and with cork plug at the end, poured in the sealer to fill that drain tube, poured out, repeated several times until the tube bore was sealed along its surface...has worked for years just fine now.

I also have the same issue with the tank in my '26 touring. It weeps from the joint where the fitting is riveted to the tank. It doesn't really drip, but it stays wet from fuel. I've been draining the gas every time I store it which is a pain. I'm also interested the best way to fix it. I don't really want to use a sealer on the inside (the inside is very clean with no rust) because I never know if I can trust the stuff (if it peels off then it's a real mess). thanks, Mike Sa

Dan, is there any kind of spring in there? What keeps the contacts from touching all the time? Do I need to take the dash out to remove the gas tank or is there enough room to drop it down? I have a radiator shop that is local, this should be a easy fix. Thanks....

No spring. The contact is normally open. The button is pushed, the contact closes. The disc that holds the contact is held fast by the machine bolt thru the bracket, the button 'floats' in the end of the bracket.

On your sedan, the tank should come out a bit more easy than open cars, the open car dash is tight for removing the tank. Follow the instructions in the Ford Service to drop and remove the cowl tank.

Steps include to disconnect the battery, and remove the ignition switch, pull the loom away to keep it from wedging. Found for me the tank comes out rather difficult, that lower outlet bracket is the last thing out, and must be the first thing in, install seems to go better

On open cars I have had to loosen the dash screws, and pry up the dash a about an inch when pulling down on the tank. Also, loosening the pedals, and letting them drop down is helpful.

G'day, I refitted my tank fittings with good old copper irons and rosin core solder. I use three irons, two large ones to heat the work area, and a smaller easier to use one to work the solder. When the metal is heated and cleaned, a smooth finish is achievable and will last another eighty odd years. I use a gas torch that ignites with a press of a button away from the tank. Quick, easy and best of all permanent.

A good coating of JB Weld should fix it and if done carefully it would not be noticeable when the tank is painted. If the inside of my tank looked good as described above by Jim, I would not let a radiator shop touch it. I think the tin coat would be damaged and you would need to apply a sealer to what was otherwise a good tank.

Jim, it is good practise to run the car until the engine is warm, and drain it straight away. That way any loose 'stuff' which may have gotten in during the rebuild will be flushed. I keep this drained oil to use in oilcans on all sorts of machinery.

JB weld will not adhere permanently to anything that has, or has had gas or oil on it. I have had no problems since I started using acetone to clean parts prior to applying the JB weld. Can't do it with gas in the tank either. Hence the "upside down" and empty.

Ted, that's why I haven't pulled my tank yet, I'm afraid the "cure" of a radiator shop will be worse than the disease of weeping. The inside of my tank is really nice (what You can see with a flashlight, anyway). I may pull it & see if my old antique soldering irons will get it hot enough to solder. Mike Sa